My Journey

A Pug’s Story to Healthy Weight Loss

This is the story of my journey and struggles to achieve and maintain a healthy pug weight.

I honestly don’t see the issue? I’m hungry, I eat – period. According to my humom and my vet, it is an issue.

As a pug puppy my weight was monitored on a set of kitchen scales.

Things were going well for most of my first year. I had positive check ups with my veterinarian. I enjoyed a carefree, fun filled life of running around my garden, chasing the cats, getting lots of cuddles and love from my humans, and being fed high quality food (Royal Canin Puppy).

One of my humom’s favourite puppy pics

Puppy Edie

Around 6 months of age, life as we know it changed, not only for me, but my humans as well. You see, I was spayed. It wasn’t much longer that the weight started to pack on. Oh the embarrassment, even my harness needed some adjusting.

During one of my wellness visits with my vet, I was feeling a little bit “plumper” than usual. My vet said “Edie, what happened? We need to weigh you and have a little talk!”.

Oh oh, what does that mean I wondered?

Well, apparently this pug enjoyed her food just a little too much 😉

Body Condition Score in Dogs

What do you think my body score was?

I know, I know, how is it possible to enjoy food TOO much, I mean, what’s not to love?

I tried explaining, “Pugs aren’t supposed to be skinny, take a look at pictures of pugs, they have rolls”. No one, especially my humom was falling for it.

The struggle was not mine alone, it was a struggle for my humans too. I would beg, and fuss, demanding to be fed. Can you imagine, my humans even tried tricking me by feeding me carrots and green beans in between feedings thinking I would fill up and not bother them for food! Silly, silly humans!

My weight gain and begging for food became an issue. No amount of walking or distraction would take my mind off food. My humom and vet knew that a change was necessary and that change included a new food, a food that would address my hunger and weight gain.

I remained with the Royal Canin brand, as both my vet and my humom believed it to be the best product for me. I started on “Satiety Support”, it has all the nutrition I require, and helped satisfy my hunger issues and *whispers* help me loose weight.

The food my vet recommended, Royal Canin’s Satiety Support was just as delicious as my other food. Imagine, a food that taste great and helps me get my girlie pug figure back!

It didn’t happen right away, but it did happened. Begging for meals didn’t occur as early as it had previously.

I began to feel more satisfied, more content, and you can only imagine my excitement when my harness needed to be taken in!

Woohoo, I was on my way!

I couldn’t wait to show my vet the new me! I pranced in to her office, feeling like a very smug pug and woofed “weigh me and let’s see what you have to say now”!

Feeling better and starting to show a waist

Getting a little tuck in my tummy area

What did my vet say you might ask?

“Edie, that’s great, you’re down in weight, keep up the great work”!

I continue on my healthy journey with the support of my vet, my humom, regular weigh-ins at the vets office, and of course my tasty Royal Canin Satiety Support.

There have been some challenges along the way. This past winter was difficult with the extreme weather, so I was not always able to add exercise into my daily routine and this I believe was the cause for my weight loss to slow down. But now that spring is on the way, I’m back on track!

The chart below begins at my highest weight on May 30, 2012. The next day, June 1, 2012 I began eating Royal Canin’s Satiety Support. In the chart below, you are able to see the progress I have made along the way up to this date.

Weight loss chart

I hope you will join me as I continue to post about my weight loss journey, the challenges, and of course the achievements along the way.

Disclosure: All opinions about Edie, her weight loss journey and how it affected Edie’s health are my own personal experience. Edie has been on Royal Canin products since she was a puppy and continues to be on Royal Canin Satiety Support (dry and wet). Edie is Ambassador to Royal Canin Canada, but this in no way influences my opinions of the product. Edie has and is always monitored by her veterinarian to ensure her health, her healthy weight loss and maintenance.